John Cleese, 86, admits his Ministry Of Silly Walks days are over as he reveals his full list of health ailments including ‘two hip replacements, a pacemaker, three hair transplants and not a single tooth of my own’

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Known for his tall stature, awkward movements, and physical comedy, he brought laughter to millions as a key performer on the groundbreaking show, Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

John Cleese acknowledges that the physical agility which allowed him to perform his famously wild and energetic comedy sketches is now becoming more difficult as he gets older.

In his upcoming documentary, “John Cleese Packs It In,” releasing November 13th, the 86-year-old comedian shared details about a number of health issues he’s been facing.

The film follows John Cleese on tour, showing him performing for packed audiences. It also gives a behind-the-scenes look at the dedicated team that supports him on the road, taking care of everything – even his fondness for cheese!

The comedian titled his show ‘Last Chance to See Me Before I Die,’ playfully acknowledging his age and health problems. He openly discussed these issues with fans, detailing them to emphasize his reflections on getting older.

John Cleese, the creator of the famous ‘Ministry of Silly Walks‘ sketch, shared his take on aging: ‘It’s actually more pleasant than young people realize. As you get older, you simply don’t have the energy to get worked up, which often comes across as being more agreeable.’

I’ve undergone several major surgeries and procedures, including both hip replacements, a right knee replacement, and three hair transplants. In fact, I have no natural teeth left – they’ve all been replaced with dental work.

A few months ago, I received a pacemaker. I also have artificial lenses in both eyes, and I’m currently thinking about getting a penis enlargement procedure.

In a memorable and rather shocking part of the film, showing in 500 cinemas nationwide, John Cleese shares the story of a difficult toe surgery that now makes walking painful for him.

While traveling through Europe, John Cleese unexpectedly needed to use a wheelchair during a visit to the zoo.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe what Terry Gilliam did! He actually photographed his toe – like, his poor, swollen, weepy toe – throughout the whole treatment process! And he’s putting all the pictures together in this long, detailed sequence. He says it’s going to be so gross it’ll ruin everyone’s popcorn at the movies! I mean, only Terry Gilliam would do something like that, it’s brilliant and horrifying all at once. I’m already bracing myself, but I have to see it!

Okay, so you will NOT believe this, but I just heard the most fascinating thing! Apparently, this guy – I won’t say who, but let’s just say I’m a huge admirer – has the most photographed big toe ever. Seriously! He had surgery about six years ago to fix a bone spur, and it just… hasn’t healed properly. I know, it sounds weird, but I’m completely obsessed with learning everything about him, and this detail? It’s amazing. I’ve been scouring the internet for pictures, of course!

‘So if you’ve just had a mouthful of popcorn look away now.’ 

I’ve been a fan of John Cleese for years, and it’s fascinating to see his personal life! He’s now married to Jennifer Wade, who’s a real gem and even makes a few appearances in his incredibly funny movie. It’s a really intimate look at his life – the cameras followed him around the clock for eighty minutes, and there are so many sweet, personal moments we, as fans, have never gotten to see before. It’s truly special!

Oh my gosh, he just talked about her! He was saying how hilarious she is, and then he told the cutest story about how they met! Apparently, they just happened to cross paths on the street, and they made eye contact – he said it was instant! They started chatting right there, and that was it! They’ve been together ever since! It’s seriously the most adorable thing ever, I’m so happy for them!

The new feature follows Cleese as he visits 16 cities across five countries in just six weeks. 

At a London screening on Tuesday, he playfully said that audiences will finally see a different side of him – not just the charming and carefree persona everyone knows, but also the frail, confused, and grumpy old man his publicists work hard to keep hidden.

You’ll witness the difficult reality of an 85-year-old performer battling through a European tour, trying to entertain audiences who regret spending money on expensive tickets.

This harsh criticism is both shocking and strangely funny – people aren’t laughing with me, they’re laughing at me.

It was amazing seeing John Cleese back with Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin at the screening yesterday! Sadly, Eric Idle wasn’t there. I heard they’d had a disagreement with him about how the Python group was doing financially, which is a real shame.

Eddie Izzard, one of the original cast members of the popular comedy show, shared that he continues to work despite only earning £2,000 per series from the BBC program.

The comedian claims poor handling of Monty Python’s finances led to his money problems, and he’s also criticized his former colleague Terry Gilliam, who is now a celebrated director.

The screening happened only eight days after John Cleese’s longtime Fawlty Towers colleague, Prunella Scales, passed away at 93 years old.

The actress starred as Sybil Fawlty, the acid-tongued wife of Basil Fawlty, played by Cleese.

I was so saddened to hear about Pru Leith’s passing. She was a truly brilliant comedic actress, and I’ve been revisiting ‘Fawlty Towers’ lately while working on a writing project. Every single scene she was in was just perfect – she had such incredible timing and skill. It’s a real loss.

He described her as a kind and gentle woman who often apologized, something he playfully teased her about. He said he cared for her deeply.

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2025-11-10 19:19